


A Day to Remember

by Kabieee



Series: Sylvix Week 2020! [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Childhood, Childhood Friends, Felix displays impeccable wisdom for a five year old, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:08:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26580406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kabieee/pseuds/Kabieee
Summary: “This turtle gets to see his friends all the time. I wish that were us, too.” Felix sniffled, quiet tears rolling down his cheeks. “You know… I still want to marry you, even if we can’t always be together. I think I would be happy all the time knowing I was married.”Sylvain chuckled and hugged his best friend, eyeing the happy animals in his picture book. “Me too, buddy. No matter the friends I make, or if my dad wants me to marry a noble lady, I just wanna marry you. You’re always gonna be my best friend, no matter what.”“Let’s do it!” Felix looked at Sylvain in determination, standing up on his cushion. “We’ll have Glenn do it. He’s gotta be able to, he’s ten.”“What, now? Are you sure? I know when people get married they wear pretty outfits, and there’s a big meal and a cake!”“We have cake downstairs from my birthday. I’m not very hungry though, so we don’t need all that. We don’t need pretty outfits to get married, we just need each other, right?”
Relationships: Background Setleth, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: Sylvix Week 2020! [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1933429
Comments: 7
Kudos: 76
Collections: Sylvix Week 2020 Fic Collection





	A Day to Remember

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY SYLVIX WEEK 2020 YALL, I HOPE YOU'RE AS READY TO FEAST AS I AM TAT
> 
> I'm so very excited for this piece ;w; I enjoyed writing it so much and hope you enjoy it too! <3 Please leave a kudos if you enjoyed~ I read every single comment (even if I'm not always able to respond!!) and I appreciate the love more than you know!

Sylvain Gautier, age seven and a half, gripped a wrapped present in one hand and the reins of the horse he was riding in the other. His steed was young, easily half the size of her mother, who trotted proudly beside them. On the mother’s back was Sylvain’s father’s knight, Aren, Sylvain’s chaperone on his trip to Fraldarius. Hardly Sylvain’s first time on the back of a horse, it was the first time he was riding by himself for the trip.

Today was special for more than just his first unaccompanied horseback ride. It was also his best friend’s birthday, and Sylvain was making the trip down to Fraldarius manor to celebrate with him. Sylvain had bought Felix’s present with his own money, earned from chores around the house, and had even wrapped it himself. His mother had helped him tie the pretty red bow on top, but he knew Felix wouldn’t mind. He’d also gotten Lord Rodrigue’s and his parents’ permission to spend a few days with them at their home, something he was going to surprise Felix with when he’d normally be leaving.

Sylvain could hardly contain his excitement as he and his father’s knight began the descent from the hill that overlooked Fraldarius manor. Their beautiful home, much like Sylvain’s in Gautier, was blanketed with a fresh layer of snow, a blizzard bringing it in from Sreng overnight. Sylvain knew Felix and his older brother Glenn would most likely be out playing in it when they arrived. He couldn’t wait to make snow angels with them, to have a fun snowball fight in the cold before running inside to warm up with hot chocolate by the fire. It was going to be a day to remember for Felix, and Sylvain was determined to make sure his best friend never forgot it.

Sylvain and Aren were greeted by Fraldarius house staff when they approached the stables to house their horses. He was anxious to get inside, bouncing on his little feet to get to Felix so he could give him a hug and tell him happy birthday. It was Felix’s first birthday without his mother, Sylvain’s parents had reminded him, and it had made the little boy’s heart heavy knowing Felix’s mama wouldn’t be there to celebrate with them this year. That was part of Sylvain’s resolve to make it such a happy, memorable day for Felix. He didn’t want him to have anything but a smile on his face the whole day.

Upon crossing the threshold into the Fraldarius home, Sylvain heard two pairs of quick footsteps echoing on the stone floor. With a yelp of surprise and a gasp of happiness, five-year-old Felix and ten-year-old Glenn appeared from a door on the left side of the foyer. Felix’s little cheeks were red from the cold outside, his copper eyes watering in happiness when he saw Sylvain waiting for them.

“Sylvain! Sylvain!” Felix ran on short, stubby legs over to Sylvain, blind to the present he held in his hand as he threw his arms around the older boy’s waist. “Papa said there was a surprise for me here! I’m s-so happy!” His eyes were filled with tears of joy, his chubby little hands anxiously gripping Sylvain’s cloak. “I d-didn’t know you’d c-come all the way h-here to s-see me…”

Soon, Felix was inconsolable, crying into his friend’s shirt out of abject happiness and surprise from seeing him.

“He’s been missing Mama a lot lately… He’s talked about you coming to visit nonstop,” Glenn whispered to Sylvain with a sad smile, giving his younger friend a quick hug and patting his brother’s back. “It’s ok, Fe! Sylvain is gonna celebrate your birthday with us today!”

“Happy birthday, Felix!” Sylvain hugged Felix tightly in return before showing him the present he had in his hands. A sound akin to a mouse squeaking came out of Felix’s mouth, his tears slowly stopping and his eyes widening in joy.

“Sylvain, for me?! Really?! What is it?! Glenn, l-look!” The youngest of the trio sniffled and carefully held the wrapped present in his hands, his excitement too high to even open it.

“You can open it now, buddy! It’s all yours,” Sylvain smiled, his hands balled into excited fists. He wanted to see Felix open it, wanted to see how his eyes lit up at the gift he’d saved and saved his pennies for. Glenn gently steered his baby brother over to a nearby sofa, chuckling at the incredulous look of shock on Felix’s face.

Felix’s tiny hands shook as he removed the paper. His reprieve from crying was short-lived when he saw the plush cat inside the box, a small blue toy with white whiskers and black buttons for eyes. It was overstuffed and extremely cuddly, the fabric of its body softer than any toy he’d ever held. Felix’s eyes darted between Sylvain and his present, unable to form words from the happiness coursing through him.

“S-S-Sylvain—” Felix clutched the toy cat up to his chin, his tears already falling on its face.

Sylvain smiled in relief, jumping up and down on his feet. “Do you like her? I picked her out just for you, buddy! You’re my bestest friend in the whole wide world, Felix. Happy birthday!”

Felix’s crying, Glenn noticed as his little brother fell into Sylvain’s arms and hugged him gratefully, was soft and much more subdued than from moments before when he’d been surprised. These were his truly happy tears, the same he cried whenever their father sang him to sleep at night after coming into his room when Felix had a nightmare. He could see Felix holding onto Sylvain like his life depended on it, his lips quivering into a wide smile on his little face.

Glenn hoped with everything he had that Felix and Sylvain would stay so close to each other’s hearts for the rest of their lives.

**

Felix refused to let go of his birthday present while he played with his big brother and best friend. He held the soft toy protectively in his arms, hesitant even to join in when Glenn brought out wooden practice weapons for them to play with out in the snow.

“But, kitty…” He said bashfully, holding Sylvain’s present against him with flushed cheeks.

“How about this, Fe?” Sylvain suggested, unbuttoning the top button on his thick coat. He smiled down at his young best friend as he took the toy and slid it down the neck hole of his shirt, fastening the button so she’d stay put.

“Sylvain, why are you so smart?” Felix asked incredulously, hugging around the small bump in his clothes.

“Now we can play and you can still hold kitty! I don’t think I’m that smart,” Sylvain chuckled, handing Felix a practice sword.

“You’re pretty smart… not smarter than Glenn,” Felix replied with a feisty smile, assuming his stance in front of Sylvain and holding his weapon.

“Like this, Fe,” Glenn gently guided him, moving his little brother’s hands on the hilt. “Remember, you’re going to want them here if you want to knock Sylvain on his butt.”

“I don’t wanna knock Sylvain on his butt! We’re going to get _you_.”

“You can _try_.”

Sylvain, purely on instinct, stepped in front of Felix and brandished his sword in front of Glenn. He heard a small growl behind him, a smile inadvertently spreading his lips in delight. Felix’s little noises were still so cute, even if the youngest Fraldarius had made it known countless times that he was serious when he made them.

“Outta the way, Sylvain, I’m gonna kick Glenn’s butt.”

“We’re a team, buddy!” Sylvain chuckled, “We’re gonna work together, remember?”

“I’m gonna protect _you_ , Syl. Glenn is a big, mean monster who’s trying to hurt my bestest friend. Not on my birthday, he won’t!”

“Hey now… Sylvain isn’t that much smaller than me…” Glenn stepped back quickly, his competitive yet friendly grin riling both his little brother and the Gautier boy up.

“That’s ‘cause you’re gonna be short like Mama! I’m gonna be tall… Tall like our uncle!” Felix leapt forward and hissed at Glenn as he thrusted his little sword towards his knees. Felix was quick where he lacked technical skill with the blade, hopping around his big brother like a frog.

“You’re gonna be shorter than I am, Felix!” Glenn teased, easily avoiding each and every single one of Felix’s attempts at his shins. “Papa’s not that tall, Mama was short. Sylvain’s always gonna be the tallest. You’ll need to stay by his side all the time so he can protect your little butt!”

“I want to stay with Sylvain! But it’s gonna be me protecting him. I’m gonna be taller than him, and he’ll always need me to keep him safe. We’ll just be super-- tall--together! Right, Sylvie?”

“Yep! Together forever, Felix! I’ll always keep you safe!”

Sylvain waited for Felix to run beside him again, gently pulling on his waist when he was in reach. He grabbed the little five-year-old and hoisted him up onto his shoulders, holding him on wobbly legs when his best friend whooped in joy. He only stood a little higher than his big brother, but it was enough to make Glenn pretend to shake on the spot and cower beneath him and Sylvain.

“That’s not fair, Sylvain won’t always be there to lift you up on the battlefield,” Glenn said with a twinkle in his eye, looking pointedly at his brother.

“Yeah I will, Glenn!” Sylvain said triumphantly, attempting to take a step forward. Felix yelped on his shoulders as he shifted, making him stop in his tracks. “You’ll have to fight him from here, Fe,” he chuckled. “We’ll get better at this, I promise! I’m never gonna let Felix go out on a battlefield without me. I’ll always fight beside him and make sure he doesn’t get hurt.”

“But I wanna make sure you don’t get hurt,” Felix pouted up on his shoulders.

“We’ll always look out for each other together then, Fe,” Sylvain reassured him, crouching down on the ground so Felix could climb off. “Although… we’ll probably need horses. I don’t think it’d be too comfy on my shoulders!”

In a brave show of brotherly love and desire to build confidence in his younger brother, Glenn whooped him and Sylvain all but twice in their playful spar. At five years old, Felix had only held a play sword a few times, but both his best friend and brother could tell he would grow to love it. His little frame was still and serious whenever Glenn was giving them instructions and helping their stances, and he would do exactly as he’d been told. Losing to Glenn wasn’t a source of sadness for Felix, happily hopping back up on his feet even if he got knocked down.

Sylvain didn’t see the smile on Felix’s face leave for the rest of the afternoon. Things that might normally make him cry, he noticed, like Glenn accidentally scaring him out in the snow when he and Sylvain were putting away the practice swords, garnered nothing more than a quick whimper. Felix would instantly cling to Sylvain’s coat or pants and would simply hide his face in his best friend instead of sniffling. Glenn noticed this before either his brother or Sylvain did.

When Felix went to use the restroom, Glenn patted their friend on the shoulder before hugging him.

“Felix hasn’t smiled this much in… _ages_.”

Glenn’s words were like ice in Sylvain’s heart. Thinking about Felix being unhappy, even at home with his beloved brother and father, made him wish he could leave Gautier and stay here with him in Fraldarius forever.

“Why doesn’t he smile?” Sylvain asked with a frown, clinging to Glenn.

“Well, Mama’s gone. She used to spend all day with him. When I’m in my lessons or Papa is in the capital, Felix only has his nurse. He likes her, but he misses Mama so much…” When even Glenn, who at ten was the eldest of anyone in his small group of friends, began to tear up, Sylvain’s heart jumped up into his throat. “Papa is really busy. He… doesn’t always have time to sit with Felix at the end of the day or eat dinner with us. A lot of times, it’s just me and him. Felix doesn’t ever wanna talk about Mama with me, not anymore. He used to like remembering her with me.”

Sylvain was crying silently now. He had always liked Felix and Glenn’s mother; she had been a very kind lady who always put Sylvain up on her lap whenever they visited. She had known how mean Miklan could be to him, known that Sylvain hid bruises he got from his brother from their parents. Amelia Fraldarius had always made the youngest Gautier boy feel loved and safe whenever he was around her. Her death had left a large hole in his heart, even at such a young age.

“I d-don’t want Felix to be sad, G-Glenn,” he murmured at the older boy’s chest, sniffling and wiping his eyes on his own sleeve.

“Papa says Felix will be okay… someday,” Glenn replied with a small smile, giggling as he helped Sylvain dry his cheeks. “I _know_ he will be with a friend like you.”

“I’m always g-going to be Felix’s friend. I promise, Glenn. Even if he ends up shorter than me, I won’t ever let h-him get hurt.”

“Why do you think I’m gonna be so short, Glenn?!” Felix returned to them, patting his hands on his pants to finish drying them.

“Because you’re a bean. Bean sprouts don’t get that big.” Glenn pulled Felix’s hood over his head and held the sides closed over his nose.

“Get _off_!” Felix hissed again and swiped at Glenn, making his brother and best friend laugh. “I told you, Sylvain and I are gonna get real tall. _Then_ you’ll be sorry when we beat you up. Right, Sylvie?”

“Yep! Gonna beat up Glenn all the time.”

“Are you two gonna be _married_ and beating me up?” Glenn asked in jest, rolling his eyes and snickering as his baby brother kept fighting his larger hands.

“M-Maybe we will be!” Sylvain’s fists were balled at his sides, a happy smile on his little face. He had heard the word ‘married’ before; it’s what his mother and father were, what Uncle Rodrigue and Aunt Amelia had been. He knew ‘married’ meant you lived with someone really special to you, meant you could hug that person as much as you wanted. Sylvain could _easily_ say he’d love to be married to his best friend. They’d be able to train together always, and wouldn't have to travel the distance between their family’s lands since they’d live together. Sylvain didn’t see himself wanting that with anyone else, none of his close friends who, even though he loved them, were _nothing_ like Felix.

Glenn stopped, shooting a look at Sylvain. As his hands loosened on Felix’s hood, they saw the younger Fraldarius’s eyes had widened to the size of saucers.

“Sylvain, w-would you really want to marry me?” Felix’s eyes were watering, hands steepling up by his mouth from under his hood. “Papa says marriage is really special!”

“I sure would, Fe! You’re my very best friend. My dad said I’m going to marry a noble lady someday… but if I’m not friends with her now, why would I marry her? And I wouldn’t want to marry her, anyway, knowing I could be with you.”

Glenn had heard of some noblemen taking husbands and knew of ladies at court that went to functions with their wives, but the majority of adults he knew were either single or husband and wife. However, the look of abject joy on his little brother’s and Sylvain’s faces kept him from saying anything. Felix had not looked this happy since their mother had been alive, or whenever Sylvain came to visit.

“Would you take care of him if you married him, Sylvain? You’re only seven! I’m ten and I don’t even have a girlfriend!”

“That’s not true, Glenn! Papa said you were going to marry Ingrid.” Felix crossed his chubby arms and pouted. “I want Ingrid as a sister. She’s fun and likes to eat with me.”

“Well… that’s different! I’m older. So I’d be able to make us a house, get us dinner. Plus, I can hold a _real_ sword. What if someone tries to kidnap you, Felix?”

“Then I would bite them and kick them if I couldn’t attack with a sword or lance!” Sylvain raised his arms above his head. “I said it earlier, Glenn, and I meant it! Nothing bad will ever happen to Felix if I’m there. If we were married, I’d always be with him, too! I’d stay outside his bedroom every night to protect him.”

“What is this about marriage?”

Rodrigue had walked into the drawing room, his ever-present, kind smile on his face as he looked at his two sons and Sylvain.

“Papa, can I marry Sylvain? We want to live with each other, _and_ we made promises to always protect each other. We can’t do that if we don’t get married. I want him to come live here, with us.”

Lord Rodrigue laughed softly and sat down on the sofa by the fireplace. He patted his lap for his youngest son to join him. When Felix climbed up he smoothed down his hair that had been tousled by Glenn’s teasing and kissed his forehead.

“You’re far too young to be thinking about that, Felix.” Felix opened his mouth to protest, his chubby little hand pointing to Sylvain importantly. “Sylvain has to stay with his mother and father, my son. They love him, just as I love you and Glenn. You cannot grow up too fast, Felix Hugo.”

“But Papa… I’m so happy when Sylvain comes over. If I married him…”

“Oh, Felix,” Rodrigue chuckled and hugged Felix around his shoulders. “I am certain Margrave Gautier would not mind you two seeing each other more often. I know I don’t.”

“But Uncle Rodrigue, Felix is my most favorite person! I like you too, Glenn—” Sylvain said to his older friend quickly. “My dad said I’ll have to marry a noble lady… but I’d much rather marry my bestest friend.”

Rodrigue looked at them before sliding his eyes to his eldest son with a quiet grin. “How about this?” He waved Sylvain over and brought him in a loving hug against his chest. “For now, we’ll make sure you two can be together whenever possible. You can study together when Felix starts lessons, you can practice swords and lances right here in our training ground.” Felix’s eyes lit up at the possibility, clutching Sylvain’s hands happily in his own.

“Then… once you’re big enough, and you still want to marry each other, we’ll do it then.”

“How old do I have to be, Papa?” Felix asked straightforwardly, crossing his arms and pouting up at Rodrigue.

“At least eighteen. I married Mama when I was eighteen and she was twenty, so you have to wait that long as well.”

“ _Papa_! That’s—that’s so far away,” Felix sniffled, looking at Sylvain fretfully.

“You’ve got to do some growing and learning before you’re ready to get married, my son,” Rodrigue reminded him with a squeeze of his shoulder. “Just like your best friend.”

“I’ll wait for you, Fe. I promise.” Sylvain held out his pinky finger to Felix, honey-colored eyes looking at him in fierce determination. “I won’t marry anybody until I can marry you!”

**

After Felix’s cake had been cleared away, the birthday boy became weepy. He knew it was almost time for Sylvain to have to go home, the worst way for his day to end. It always took him a few days to get over his best friend’s departure, sad he wouldn’t be around to play with. Sylvain also had to go home to Miklan, who was the worst and was mean to his younger brother. Felix didn’t like him one bit, and he knew Glenn wasn’t fond of the eldest Gautier boy either.

So the surprise he was served when Sylvain announced he’d not only be spending the night but also a few days instantly dried Felix’s tears and made him jump for joy in the dining room. He hugged Glenn, hugged his father and nurse, even hugged the member of their house staff who was clearing away the plates and cutlery from the table. But his longest, tightest hug was saved for Sylvain, who could not have looked happier to be staying the night.

“We can play before bedtime!” Felix told him excitedly, Sylvain’s present once again clutched in his hands as they walked upstairs to get to Felix’s room. Sylvain’s guest quarters were always set up nearby, as one night he’d gotten lost between Felix’s room and his own after going there in the middle of the night to play. It was rare if one of them didn’t end up with the other during the night, as they often snuck out to play or for Sylvain to read Felix stories by the fireplace.

Once they’d changed into their pajamas, Felix curled up under a large blue blanket on the floor in his room, eagerly holding his new toy cat and watching Sylvain select a book from his shelf.

“What do you want me to read for you, Fe?” Sylvain asked him, fingers scanning along the spines of Felix’s picture books. “Oh… this one is about a brave knight!”

“No, no knights,” Felix mumbled, sticking out his tongue and padding over to the shelf with Sylvain. “Mama always read me this one,” he said quietly, pointing to a thin book with a green cover. “I really liked it. Would you read me that one? I wanna help. Glenn’s been helping me learn to read!”

“Are you sure, Fe?” Sylvain asked him with a soft touch to his shoulder. “We can read another one if this one will make you… sad.”

“No, I wanna. I love this story.” Felix sheepishly took Sylvain’s hand and led him back to their cushions in front of the fire, sitting closely to his best friend.

Sylvain began reading the story, pausing with a smile on his face whenever Felix would gently tug on his sleeve to let him try.

“The tur…tle… en…joyed? Is that right, Sylvie?”

“Yep, enjoyed! What did he enjoy?”

“Um…” Felix looked down at the book and squinted, silently mouthing out the words before he spoke. “En…joyed… his…” he scratched his little head and huffed. “’Fry-ends?’ No… stupid, that’s not right…”

“It’s ok, Felix! Try again. This word is a little tricky, it’s not spoken like it looks. Pretend the ‘i’ isn’t there. And you’re not stupid, don’t say that!”

Felix stared down at the word, repeating ‘fry-ends’ quietly over and over until he covered up the ‘i’ on the page in frustration. “Friends… OH! Friends!”

“Yes, Felix, that’s it! You did it, buddy,” Sylvain said happily, putting down the book and hugging his friend in celebration. Felix bounced happily on his cushion, balling his little firsts up in excitement.

“Thanks for reading with me, Syl,” Felix smiled, leaning against the older boy as he prepared to continue reading. “Glenn is busy with his own lessons. And Papa…”

Sylvain hugged around Felix’s shoulder sadly. “I wish I could always be here to help you out, Fe! I like learning, too. It’d just be one more thing we could do together every day!”

Felix stared down at the page, touching the illustration of the turtle and his friends softly. He looked back up at Sylvain with tears in his eyes, making the Gautier boy jump in worry.

“Fe, what’s wrong?”

“This turtle gets to see his friends all the time. I wish that were us, too.” Felix sniffled, quiet tears rolling down his cheeks. “You know… I still want to marry you, even if we can’t always be together. I think I would be happy all the _time_ knowing I was married to you.”

Sylvain chuckled and hugged his best friend, eyeing the happy animals in his picture book. “Me too, buddy. No matter the friends I make, or if my dad wants me to marry a noble lady, I just wanna marry you. You’re always gonna be my best friend, no matter what.”

“Let’s do it!” Felix looked at Sylvain in determination, standing up on his cushion. “We’ll have Glenn do it. He’s gotta be able to, he’s ten.”

“What, now? Are you sure? I know when people get married they wear pretty outfits, and there’s a big meal and a cake!”

“We have cake downstairs from my birthday. I’m not very hungry though, so we don’t need all that. We don’t need pretty outfits to get married, we just need each other, right?”

Sylvain stared incredulously at Felix, who looked as though he’d never been more serious about anything in his entire life. But the prospect was amazing, knowing he’d be married to his best friend despite their distance. It would make trips between their lands more fun and more special. Being with Felix meant Sylvain wouldn’t have to marry anybody he didn’t want to.

Felix held out his hand for Sylvain, smiling widely through his quickly dissolving tears.

“Ok, Fe. Let’s get married!”

The two boys walked across the hall to Glenn’s room, where they could hear the older boy quietly practicing with his toy sword. Felix knocked on his door a single time before opening it and barging in anyway.

“Glenn, will you marry us?”

Glenn stopped short and sent his sword flying into the bookshelf, mouth agape at his younger brother and friend.

“Fe, Papa told you you can’t get married yet. You gotta wait!”

“We don’t wanna wait. Even if we can’t live together, we want to get married because we’re best friends.”

“Fe… Sylvain…” Glenn laughed softly and sat on his bed. “Getting married is… a lot more than just being with your best friend.”

“What do you mean?” Sylvain asked, still holding on to Felix’s hand.

“Well… married people have to pay for things, cook meals and make sure their house is safe. And… they have babies.”

“We don’t want any babies! Not now, anyway!” Felix stomped his little foot on the rug. “I earn an allowance. I’d be able to buy Sylvain toys and clothes. I can make sandwiches; Mama taught me that.”

“Being married means you _love_ someone, Fe. They’re not just your best friend! When you love someone, you kiss them and tell them how much they mean to you. You share… a bed!” Glenn looked around at his bed, identical to the one Felix had in his room. “There’s only space for one person in these beds!”

“Glenn, I’m five. Mama always said I don’t need to kiss anyone until I’m older. I’ll kiss Sylvain then. Is that okay, Sylvie? And we sleep in the same bed all the time. If we outgrow my bed, we can just get a new one. And I _do_ love Sylvain!”

Sylvain’s face had blushed horribly, thinking of Felix kissing him making him feel giddy and silly. He always smiles whenever he sees his mother and father kiss, the looks on their faces make him happy. “Y-yeah, Fe! We don’t have to kiss right away.”

“Are you certain this is what you want, Fe? Marriage is _forever_ ,” Glenn reminded him, his face softened at the sight of Felix and Sylvain both looking so happy. He figured this would be something they’d probably forget in a year’s time. But seeing Felix so carefree whenever Sylvain was around was something he couldn’t ignore. Sylvain calmed his baby brother down, made him so happy that he didn’t have time to dwell on the fact that their mother was no longer with them.

“Yes,” they answered simultaneously, giggling happily at their synchronization.

“Okay. I’ll do it. Do you have wedding rings for each other?”

Felix looked fretful, his gaze whipping up to Sylvain. “N-No? I don’t think so?”

“I think we could make some, Fe! I’ve seen Ingrid make bracelets with old strips of clothes before… We could just make them smaller!”

A half hour later, Sylvain and Felix held up tiny rings made of fibers in front of Glenn, extremely proud of their handiwork. Sylvain’s was blue, Felix’s favorite color, and Felix’s was dark red. The fabric had been stripped from their own clothes, tiny parts from the bottoms that their parents probably wouldn’t notice.

“Well, I’ll be,” Glenn chuckled, setting down his sword against his desk. “Where do you want to get married, then? It’s too cold to go outside. I think it should be somewhere special to the both of you!”

Felix and Sylvain looked at one another, blinking quickly in each other’s gaze.

“Maybe… Aunt Amelia’s sewing room?” Sylvain asked his best friend quietly, that room being the first place that came to his mind when he heard Glenn say ‘special’. “We used to sit in there with her while she worked. She used to take breaks and play with us there, too!”

Felix’s eyes welled with tears and his mouth hung open at Sylvain’s suggestion, making the other fearful it had upset him. He tensed up and started to apologize before Felix shook his head and steadied his breathing.

“If we do it there… it’ll be like Mama is there with us.”

Sylvain and Felix whipped around when they heard Glenn sniffling. Felix whimpered and dragged Sylvain over to his brother’s side, wrapping both his arms around Glenn’s back, nuzzling his face into his shirt.

“D-don’t cry, Glenn,” Felix pleaded, his eyes shut tightly.

Sylvain hadn’t seen Glenn cry ever, not even at their mother’s funeral months back. He’d been sad, sure, but he’d maintained his composure throughout the entire service, even as they’d put her coffin in the marble tomb below the manor. It shook him to his core to see the older boy crying, but he hugged him tightly beside his best friend and patted his back.

“Mama would be s-sad if she saw you crying.”

Glenn nodded and swatted his eyes, yet tears continued to fall. “She would be happy you’re getting m-married,” he said with a strained smile, throwing his arms around both Felix and Sylvain as his shoulders shook.

The three boys joined hands and padded through Fraldarius manor. Amelia’s sewing room was located near the master bedchamber behind a beautiful blue door with a unique silver doorknob. Neither of her sons or her husband had gone in since her death; it was likely the room was still exactly as she’d left it.

Glenn lit the sconces inside once they opened the door, revealing a beautiful neat space. Luxurious, high quality furniture sat spaced out, a comfortable sofa in the corner that had multiple blankets draped over the back for cold Fraldarius days. Her old sewing machine, operated by a manual turning mechanism on the side, faced the large window on the southern side of the room. Her chair had not been pushed in all the way, and a piece of fabric could be seen hanging off under the needle. The sight made Felix cry, Sylvain’s arms going around him comfortingly as he sniffled.

Glenn carefully removed it from the machine, holding the piece delicately in his hands as he fought tears.

“Fe… it looks like a veil,” he choked out with a laugh, holding up the garment in his hands for his brother to see. It was a piece of cream colored lace with hand stitched embroidery along the sides, long enough to fall to the floor even in Glenn’s hands. It was more likely that this project was a part of something bigger, but he still held it onto the back of Felix’s head with a smile. “Do you wanna wear it? I think that would make Mama happy.”

Sylvain looked down at Felix. His best friend looked cute with the veil, the Gautier boy’s cheeks once again flushing happily at the sight. He nodded, stepping back so Glenn could carefully drape it over Felix’s face.

“Okay… let’s get married!” Felix said through teary eyes, grasping Sylvain’s hands with a smile.

The two boys stood in front of the large window, where they could see more snow falling outside. Glenn had pulled over the stuffed stool from the sofa and stood on it, his hands folded in front of him.

“I’m gonna make this up as I go. I’ve never been to a wedding before!” He turned to Sylvain first.

“Sylvain, do you love Felix?”

Sylvain bounced on his feet, holding his best friend’s hands.

“Yes, I do! He’s my best friend.”

“Do you promise to help him get things off the shelf because he’s too little—”

“Glenn!”

“I will,” Sylvain nodded, chuckling at Felix and nudging him with his elbow.

“And do you promise to stay by his side forever? Even if he cries, or refuses to eat most of the things our cooks make for him?”

“ _Glenn_!”

“I promise to help Felix forever.” Sylvain squeezed Felix’s hands and smiled at him. “I promise to protect you on a battlefield, but also whenever we’re at home together. I promise I’ll continue to help you learn to read, and make sure you have a good sword form. I promise to save all my money so I can get you even more toys.”

Felix sniffled next to his best friend, blinking his eyes rapidly behind his veil.

“And Felix, do you love Sylvain?”

“Yeah, I d-do!” Felix said purposefully, shooting a look at his big brother on the stool.

“Do you promise to be a good husband? To cheer Sylvain up whenever Miklan is mean to him? To give him hugs if he has nightmares?” Sylvain flushed but giggled.

“I will. I’ll fight Miklan for Sylvain. I don’t care that he’s bigger than me, I won’t let him be mean to my bestest friend.”

“Thank you, Fe,” Sylvain whispered, reaching over to the other and giving him a quick hug.

“I now pronounce you as husband and husband. Don’t ever stop loving each other, and always talk it out if you fight.”

Sylvain took the small piece of fabric they’d rolled and tied into a ring and slipped it on Felix’s finger. It was big on his tiny digits, but the one Felix had made for him fit perfectly. He lifted Felix’s veil off of his face and kissed his forehead quickly, just like his mom gave him before bed.

“I’m never taking this off!” Felix said happily, showing Glenn his ring with a smile. “I love you, Sylvie. I’m so glad we’re married now.”

**

Felix eyed Sylvain out of the corner of his eye, unable to keep a smile off his lips and a chuckle from his mouth. The redhead was painstakingly trying to quiet his tears, sucking in air through his nose. His honey-colored eyes could not leave him, making his stomach flutter and his heart quicken in his chest.

“Syl…” he said quietly, reaching over and wiping his lover’s cheek. “It’s okay.”

“Do we have the rings?”

Byleth, dressed in her finest robes with gold accents, smiled at the two men before her. She held out her hands, hearing the clearing of someone’s throat nearby. A small child toddled forward from the group of people standing beside Felix on the right of the altar, her bright green hair falling sweetly over the white gown she wore. Felix grinned encouragingly at her and bent slightly to hold out his hand, giving it a kiss when she presented him two boxes from her basket full of blue flowers. He nodded at Flayn, who grinned and quietly motioned her baby sister back towards her. Beside her, Seteth too was holding in tears as his second daughter laughed loudly and came back to them.

“Thank you, my darling,” Byleth said quietly to her, taking the boxes from Felix and holding them securely in her hands. “One of these boxes contains wedding rings that you promised to each other long ago. I feel they are, in a way, much more special than the metal bands you two will wear from this day forward. I wanted to give you two the opportunity to present them again in this setting, on the day when you will be forever bound.”

“F-Fe…” Sylvain trembled as he feebly opened the first box, hands shaking as he took out the faded, worn piece of fabric. “I didn’t realize how much I meant those words when I was seven,” he chuckled, pressing the ring onto the tip of Felix’s finger. He lightly touched the scars on his hand softly, bringing it up to kiss it. “I hope your new one is just as special, and that every time you look at it you know that I have loved you for s-so long. And that I won’t ever stop.”

Felix took his two rings from Byleth and sheepishly put the fabric one on the tip of Sylvain’s finger with a soft laugh. “We were such foolish children. Glenn told me he expected us to forget our ‘wedding’.” Felix looked up into Sylvain’s eyes and choked back a sob, squeezing the other lovingly and taking a shaky breath. “But I never once forgot. And I’m glad you didn’t either.”

“I love you, Fe,” Sylvain murmured, squeezing his husband’s hands before Byleth pronounced them as husbands. “I’m so glad you wanted to marry me _again_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on twitter! @setethstiddies


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